Outcome:
- Validation of the Program Theory of Change.
- Further development of survey instruments to enable better data collection for evaluation purposes.
Parents At Work (PAW) in partnership with UNICEF Australia developed the Family Inclusive Workplace Recognition Program with the firm belief that family friendly workplaces policies and practices would have a significant impact not only on employees and employee’s families, but also the organisations themselves. We were engaged to validate their Theory of Change and develop an evidence-backed Impact Framework.
The Challenge:
A confluence of emerging collaboration technology, industry transformation and pandemic-driven change has ushered Australian organisations into a new era for the workplace.
The pandemic’s unprecedented pressure has made it difficult for many families—particularly women, who continue to carry out the majority of paid and unpaid caring tasks — to balance the competing demands of caring for their children and other loved ones, home-schooling, the cost of living, and continuing to work.
PAW intuitively understood that workplaces need to adapt to the new era’s demands and be more responsive to the needs of families, thereby relieving the pressure on caregivers and helping employees manage competing pressure. However, to promote and communicate the value of the Family Inclusive Workplace Recognition Program among employers, PAW acknowledged the need to provide evidence of its impact. UNICEF Australia was particularly interested in the impact of a family friendly workplace for employee families, particularly for children.
The Solution:
- We developed the Impact Framework.
- We advised them on Impact Measurement approach and recommended they expand their survey instruments to include data collection for outcomes relevant to the employee and the employer.
- We published a White Paper that presented the background research and the Impact Framework.
- We are co-authoring a peer-reviewed paper that will be published in a scientific journal.